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Target Audience

Students, faculty and staff from Heartland Global Health Consortium (HGHC) member schools (Central College, Des Moines University, Drake University, Grinnell College, Iowa State University, Mercy College of Health Sciences, Simpson College, University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa and William Penn University) and community members are also invited to attend.

This presentation will provide information related to the abuse statistics of opioids and heroin in the USA and Iowa. The pharmacology of opioids and heroin will be briefly discussed. Finally, the clinical presentation and treatment options for opioid intoxication, opioid withdrawal, and opioid use disorder will be reviewed.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2014), the number of obese infants and children increased from 32 million globally in 1990 to 42 million in 2013. Because childhood obesity is associated with increased risks for serious health complications, researchers are investigating factors that may be contributing to this increase. One area centers on how conditions that surround individuals can impact health behaviors (WHO, 2008). This factor is particularly significant for children as they have limited control over significant environmental and behavioral factors such as place of residence, access to facilities and diet. The Institute of Medicine (2012) cites global research that shows that obesity is a complex problem that involves socioeconomic, cultural, and environment factors that influence activity levels and food choices. This presentation will look at how knowledge about these social determinants of health can be used to plan and implement interventions aimed at reducing childhood obesity.

This panel will explore the social determinants of health that impact childhood asthma. Many variables influence asthma control, including genetics, environmental triggers, and socioeconomic factors. Research also shows a link between asthma risk and the social context within which the individual lives with factors such as psychological stress, neighborhood disadvantage, and substandard housing all contributing to asthma. The Polk County Housing Trust Fund plays a role in addressing these risks by contributing to the Healthy Homes Des Moines Project. Through Healthy Homes Des Moines, households with children suffering from asthma receive home repairs to address asthma triggers, and families receive tailored health education to self-manage asthma and maintain a healthy home.

Panel 3: The Period Problem - Empowering Girls in the Developing World to Stay in School Past Puberty

There are countless economic, social, and health impacts of educating girls. When more girls go to school, countries see an increase in GDP. Girls who stay in school past puberty marry later, have fewer children, are less likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth, and are more likely to send their children to school. Yet girls in developing countries struggle to stay in school once they hit puberty due to a lack of affordable sanitary supplies. This panel will highlight the ways in which Days for Girls, Self-Help International, and others are empowering girls to stay in school past puberty through distribution of reusable sanitary kits, sexual health education, and teaching income-generating activities to empower girls to stay in school past puberty. Panelists will discuss cultural barriers in Central America, Africa and Asia, and strategies to foster self-sufficiency and project sustainability.

​Poverty is a complicated topic and cannot be adequately addressed through one curricular strategy. Didactic coursework may inform students about poverty as a social determinant of health, while experiential opportunities allow direct observation of the barriers to quality care as a result of poverty. Simulation exercises create an additional opportunity for student development as they provide a unique opportunity for students to personally experience common situations found in poverty and to select actions based on these circumstances. Drake University pharmacy students have been participating in a poverty simulation exercise since 2013. Learn about the simulation process, discuss data on changes in student attitudes toward poverty, and engage in an abbreviated simulation.

Patricia Singer, Professor of Biology, Simpson College (Moderator)Patricia Calkins, Professor of World Languages, Simpson College

Our cultural perspective significantly influences how we define health, as well as how and when we seek medical intervention to improve health. Understanding the perspective of another culture is tricky because we wear the lenses of our own culture. This workshop describes how we can help students discern different cultural perspectives through careful discernment of a culture’s products and practices.

Iowa’s freshwater ecosystems are impaired. The poor water quality of the state’s streams, rivers, reservoirs, and lakes affects the communities along the banks and shores as well as the flora and fauna that reside within these ecosystems. Organizations and agencies in the state continue to work towards improving the health of Iowa’s freshwater resources, but multifaceted solutions that address the social, economic, and ecological dimensions of the issues are hard to develop. In our panel, we will discuss the water quality issues from each of these dimensions, seeking to advance our understanding of where common concerns overlap and opposing ideas remain.

Panel 4:Lessons Learned from and Next Steps for Implementation Following a Needs Assessment to Understand Water Quality in Rural Uganda

In order to address water scarcity and global public health, our research is addressing access to water and water quality in rural Kikandwa, Uganda. Utilizing a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach we conducted a needs assessment during Summer 2016 to assess the initial resources regarding water access, quality of water via bacterial tests, and culture and education based information regarding water. Based upon the needs assessment results, we are in the process of planning the implementation which is scheduled to begin in January 2017; we will work with the community to administer an intervention through education and community engagement to help solve some of the assessed needs. This session will address the lessons learned from the needs assessment process and steps that are being taken to plan an appropriate intervention.

2:15 pm

Break

2:20 pm

Recorders Report Back Main Themes From Panel DiscussionsFacilitated by Incoming HGHC President Elizabeth Queathem, Grinnell College

2:50 pm

Poster Winners Announced and Prizes Presented

3 pm

Adjourn

Student Poster Sessions

We are excited to announce the Heartland Global Health Conference will be offering a poster session and all students attending are invited to participate. Our conference theme for this year is “The Social Determinants of Health”; however, poster topics are not limited to the conference theme. Students may present on any topic, experience, or research in the field of global health. The deadline to register your poster is Wednesday, September 28.

Poster session participants will compete among their undergraduate and graduate student peers. Within these two groups, participants will have the opportunity to win a cash prize. Posters will be judged on the following criteria:

Visual/Technical – Title, author(s), affiliation, and contact information. Poster design logical and easy to follow with appropriate visuals (methods, results, etc.) text easy to read, understand and free of errors, and graphics clearly contribute to the overall presentation. Good use of the space of the poster with section on introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion and relevance of the research in the field of study.

Content (original research) – Research topic clearly described with adequate introduction and a clear hypothesis. Work demonstrates clear focus and well developed materials and methods. Analysis of data comprehensive and discussion appropriate to findings. Conclusion supported by findings and linked to relevance in the field of study.

Content (literature review/experience) – Work includes background that leads to reason for the literature review/experience. Work demonstrates clear focus, well developed and comprehensive review of literature/experience. Literature/experience review provides valuable addition or insight and linked to relevance in the field of study.

Presenter(s) – Able to communicate in-depth technical information in an easy-to-understand manner, able to interpret the data properly, and clearly answer questions related to project, recognize limitations of the project’s procedures. Courteous and professional.

Poster Guidelines

Posters should be no more than 5′ wide and 4′ high. Materials to hang your poster will be available onsite. On the day of the program, posters must be displayed by 9 am and removed by 3:30 pm.

General Information About Poster Construction

The poster session will provide attendees the opportunity to learn more about a research project, and personalize their learning experience by speaking one-on-one with the student creators of posters that capture their attention. The following web site serves as a great resource on how to create an effective poster – http://ncsu.edu/project/posters/.

Parking at Drake University

Non-Drake participants are able to use the Olmsted Visitor Parking Lot (located north off University Avenue between 28th and 29th Streets). Please arrive by 9 am and let the security person know that you are attending the HGHC Conference. There also is parking on nearby streets.